Mnandi - this one looks like a FAKE (need confirmation)

Mad_Maxx

Mad_Maxx

Joined
Nov 29, 2007
Messages
2,519
heya folks

a frind over at the italian HSL forum posted this one, not being sure it's original and asking for help
weell, looked close at the pics and to ME it looks like a FAKE mnandi
http://it.armiusate.it/catalogo/297/Coltelli-da-collezione/id/226499/CReeve-Mnandi.html

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he says it's blood wood and that he "lost" the box (smart guy)
a friend contacted him yesterday and he answered the following:
bocote not blood wood (....)
the certificate is available (no box) and it says "2002"

TO ME:
the certificate is from a REAL mnandi, not the one for sale
finger "groove" looks fake (found on on bf in a a fake mnandi thread)
wrong grind
wrong pivot back screw (torx? CRK used ONLY allen if I recall correctly)
torx screw for the clip (too high too)
clip is from the V2 version (the new s35vn one)
inlay is too far from the border of the handle, is too high and sqare looking

whatcha think? FAKKKKKE or real deal?
it's sold for 371$ so NOT cheap...

thanks
Maxx
 
The best way to tell a fake is to look at the inlay, it never does get close to the edge of the scale. Look at the inlay of the real deal and then look at the one in your picture.
 
If it is a fake, this one fooled me. **See my similar one below in post #8.
I have a Cocobolo Mnandi from the same time period I bought new, birthdate 4/5/12.
It has the new style pivot, new clip, but old style nail nick like the one you show in the photo.
 
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I agree, I will also add having seen a few fake Mnandis that the inlay is layed at least twice as deep into the scale as a genuine CRK Mnandi is (Have a look where the lock bar cut out is). The Ti scales are also thicker on the fakes and the over all shape and finish should really just be the final finisher.

...and yes, that knife is fake.

dinokay said:
The best way to tell a fake is to look at the inlay, it never does get close to the edge of the scale. Look at the inlay of the real deal and then look at the one in your picture.
Click to expand...
 
Will ditto the fake opinion ..... mainly due to the 1) screws, 2) nail nick shape (especially at the blade tip end), 3) there appears to be a little more titanium lock face exposed than there should be (though this could be the angle of the photo) and ..... 4) the position of the Chris Reeve logo on the pivot cap. While this could be a result of disassembling and reassembling the knife ..... it is strangely identical in position to a fake listed on the notorious AliExpress site .... down to the color of the wood (which is being billed there as rosewood). I like to check that site periodically to see what designs are entering into the fake market. What is frightening is that the fakes are becoming more and more true to the originals. Many of the fake Mnandis are now being assembled with allen head screws rather than the torx.
 
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I keep trying to compare it to mine which has similarities.
The nail nick on mine, comes down to a point where on your photo it is rounded.
 

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Look at the plunge are on the fake blade, it looks very right angled while a CRK has a more gentile sweep from the ricaso into the ground area of the blade. The inlay shaping also looks like it was done by Fisher Price. :p The screws and pivot are also wrong, that looks like a torx on the clip side and the clip screw is standing very high. :)

I have yet to see a fake that even came close to the original on physical inspection. That fake Regular I posted a thread on is the closest knife I have seen as of now and even that was not going to fool someone familiar with real CRKs. The fake Mnandis are glaring when you have them in hand.

lisantica said:
I keep trying to compare it to mine which has similarities.
The nail nick on mine, comes down to a point where on your photo it is rounded.
Click to expand...
 
It looks fake to me but impossible to be sure at 100% until have it in hand.
I think now Mr Reeve should introduce something very special in order to easily understand if you are dealing with a fake or original.
I don't know why there is not a serial number on this quality knives (extended also to other brands).
I remember my old Puma are all serialized and you have a certificate with the same number.
Of course everithing could be copied to the smoothest grade but.....
 
lisantica said:
If it is a fake, this one fooled me. **See my similar one below in post #8.
I have a Cocobolo Mnandi from the same time period I bought new, birthdate 4/5/12.
It has the new style pivot, new clip, but old style nail nick like the one you show in the photo.
Click to expand...

yours is like "ours" very different, just look at the screws, that's the 1st wrong thing
 
basetta70 said:
It looks fake to me but impossible to be sure at 100% until have it in hand.
I think now Mr Reeve should introduce something very special in order to easily understand if you are dealing with a fake or original.
I don't know why there is not a serial number on this quality knives (extended also to other brands).
I remember my old Puma are all serialized and you have a certificate with the same number.
Of course everithing could be copied to the smoothest grade but.....
Click to expand...

hey Mauri! nice to se you here!

most knives are "easy" to spot from the pics, some have to be checked with close ups

I hope they'll find a solution too, birthcards & boxes, scale date stamps are some clues to spot fakes but it's not enough, I hope it does no get worse...
 
I agree, that knife is clearly a fake. There is no question at all as to whether it is genuine or not.

franzdom said:
I respectfully disagree, I am 100% sure it's fake. PM me if you want to see a website full of these things.
Click to expand...
 
Haze said:
I agree, that knife is clearly a fake. There is no question at all as to whether it is genuine or not.
Click to expand...

Yup - nail nick is wrong, font on the pivot is wrong, screws are wrong, inlays are wrong, and the birth card giving the date is wrong. I normally struggle with these kinds of things, but there is no doubt here.
 
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